MMM...Taco Salad

Last night Zeb and I took on the delicious task of eating an entire bowl of Taco Salad between the two of us. Now, you can not understand what this means unless you actually make it yourself and see how much one recipe makes. It is a task we have never accomplished in the past, but I was feeling good last night and we did it! For the future I wouldn't recommend it since Zeb was in pain the rest of the night, but you have to at least try it! It is my mom's recipe and I hope she doesn't mind me sharing it with all of my readers. It is just too good to keep in. It makes more than enough and is a quick and easy meal for a large bunch. Don't let the salad title fool you though, I am not sure how healthy it actually is. I wondered that aloud as we were eating last night and Zeb responded very matter of factly that I probably shouldn't worry about that because if I knew I probably would never make it again and that just can't happen since it is one of his favorites! I laughed. So, thanks to my mom for providing me with a dish that I can easily make and Zeb can easily consume! That is a rare combination.

Taco Salad Recipe

1 lb. Ground beef
1 head of Iceberg lettuce
1 Large tomato
1 onion of your choice
2 cups of fiesta blend cheese
1 packet of Taco Seasoning
8 oz of sour cream
1 bottle of Russian dressing (by wishbone)
1 bag of Doritos (my mom always used nacho cheese, but Zeb like the cool ranch)

Start by cooking the ground beef in a skillet. While that is cooking you can begin cutting up the vegetables. Cut up the entire head of Lettuce, tomato, and onion. Toss it all in the large bowl. Add the cheese next and mix it up. I like to use my (clean) hands, but a spoon works great too! Finish cooking the ground beef and add in the taco seasoning. Once that is complete set it aside. Crush the Doritos in the bag just enough to make bite size pieces. Now pour them in the bowl. Add all the entire tub of sour cream and the entire bottle of Russian Dressing. Mix it up. Finally add the ground beef and mix one last time. Serve immediately!! The recipe is not very good after it has sat for a while so it is best eaten fresh!

Enjoy!

P.S. had I thought about writing this specific blog last night while I was making it I would have taken pictures, but unfortunately I am not forward thinking enough. Until next time...

Thank Goodnes for Sugar and Disney in NYC!

It is Monday morning and almost 11 am. I have officially had multiple conversations about my trip to NYC last week, balanced my check book, seen two students, checked all of my email, and caught up on all the blogs I follow. It is beautiful to be back to my "normal" life. I will tell you that two weeks ago I may have been somewhat cynical about my daily happenings of the "normal" life, but today I am thankful. Today I appreciate my small town "normal" life. Thank you NYC for putting things into perspective.

Last week I took on the task of taking 27 students to NYC for a finance trip. Since I am the Finance advisor, OSU thought it made sense for me to serve as the staff advisor on the trip. While I admittedly was ready to come home just 3 hours after being there, I did enjoy certain aspects of it. I ate lots of cupcakes that were absolutely delicious, visited the M&M store multiple times, and saw Mary Poppins on Broadway. So there you have it, those were the 3 things I loved the most about NYC. Imagine that, they all have to do with sugar and being submerged into a Disney fantasy. Everything else is a blur. I will provide pictures later because you have to see these cupcakes!

One thing I love about anytime that I go outside of Oklahoma is the reading and thinking downtime. This trip was no different. In fact, my week in NYC provided this in surplus. I spent many of my nights or mornings down in the workout room on the treadmill walking at an absurd incline for far longer than I care to. During this time, however, I was blessed with the opportunity to finish the book "Heaven is For Real", start a couple classics, and talk a lot with God. I love these times because when I am back in my "normal" life I don't ever dedicate enough time to this. I also spent way less time on the Internet than I think I have in almost a year. Outside of my facebook updates, the Internet was virtually non existent in my life. Bliss.

I came to a few conclusions as I left the Big Apple on Saturday. I love my small town life and fortunately some people just were not made for the big city. I am extremely blessed with loved ones, a warm place to call home, and good food. I may not have a lot of money, stuff, or a fancy job; but I have the things that matter most and that is my God, my family, my future spouse, and my friends. Nothing can replace those. Finally, everyone should eat their weight in cupcakes from time to time. It just makes life a little sweeter! :)

Weekends are the BEST!

The last 48 hours, that is also known as the weekend, provided me with many different activities and emotions.

I got excited about the future while looking up internships with Zeb.

I was taught and encouraged for my future marriage by two different women over coffee. One older and one younger. Their wisdom left me with much excitement and two new friendships.

I was pushed physically in working out.

I made new friends at a baby shower and shared in the joy of new life.

I read and read and read some more.

I spent lots of time in prayer and was challenged by this:
"Woe to you Pharisees, because you give God a tenth of your mint, rue, and all other kinds of garden herbs, but you neglect justice and the love of God. You should have practiced the latter without leaving the former undone"-Luke 11:42

I was given more opportunities to practice forgiveness and conquered it.

I caught up with my Grandma.

I laughed A LOT!

It was just another weekend full of opportunities and life.

What was your weekend like?

Who I am in Him

Today is one of those days when it is hard to write inspiring and joyful material. It is one of those days when it is hard to fake a smile to those around you. It is one of those days when I just want to sit in silence in prayer, but sing worship at the top of my lungs. It is one of those days when it feels like the weight of the world is sitting on your lap.

It is one of those days when you are so glad that you were just reminded 24 hours prior that you are a conqueror in Christ. I am so glad that I was reminded that I can and will overcome what seems impossible to overcome.

I am an overcomer. More than conqueror. Because Christ said so.

"What then shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave Him up for us all-how will He not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?"-Romans 8:31-32

"Who shall seperate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?"-Romans 8:35

"No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us."-Romans 8:37

" I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble, but take heart! I have overcome the world."-John 16:33

"In your strength, I can crush an army; with my God, I can scale any wall"-Psalms 18:29

"For though we live in the world, we do not wage war the way the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish strongholds and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obediant to Christ"-2 Corinthians 10:3-5

"But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed."- 2 Corinthians 4:7-9

"You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world"-1 John 4:4

So I guess on the days, like today, when I feel the weight of the world, I just need to remember the one who is NOT of this world, but who created this world. I need to conquer the enemy that is attacking me and run to the one who has overcome all things and therefore because of my love for Him will help me to overcome as well.

He is faithful. He is beautiful. He is Christ my Lord.

What I Like About You

Blogging for me, has become so much more than an online journal for the public. This is what I like about blogging...

• It requires more creativity and thought than just journaling
• Comments! I love comments! It's like getting presents!
• The connection with friends and family that are not close. I like knowing that they read and talking through this medium.
• The community of bloggers is inspiring.
• Sharing information. I am able to share things I learn and causes I care about.
• Purposeful living. I don't want to share things with my readers that probably don't matter and so it reminds me to do things worth writing about. Live on purpose!

Blogging has become one of my favorite hobbies. I didn't start out very strong, but I feel like I have gotten better. There are days when I don't want to write and more recently I have tried to push through the lack of motivation and writer's block. It is when push through that I usually feel the best.

What are your hobbies?